There is an art to living and indeed, dying peacefully. Fear of death and our own immortality, also known as abhiniveśa can be managed, and we can learn the necessary tools of resilience through our yoga journeys.

How can we learn to be at peace with mortality? All of us experience grief and loss; some of us have had a huge health scare, and others are dealing with the final stages of the life of a loved one. The stories are many and varied, and all important. You may be afraid of dying and need to find peace on this path through your life so you can live to your full potential. You may be a carer and need a little support to get through these difficult times of grief and loss, which can sometimes be overwhelming.

The basic idea of the workshop is that yoga in life, aged care, and palliative care offers the ability to centre and to be content. Being content seems a simple description but it is a humble word with big impacts. We don't necessarily need to be happy all the time; in life, there are myriad emotions to observe as they pass through, but learning to be content can be extremely helpful and liberating.

Students during a workshop on yoga in palliative care - image by Ilse Broekaert

Ilse has written an article on her Palliative Care workshops and speaks at nursing conferences as well. They are very worthwhile and empowering workshops, providing yogic tools for resilience and teaching a guidance towards joy.